Spring Terrace trainer Shannon Kirby had forgotten he had won the same event last year when he took out the $1000-to-the-winner Cowra Services Club Diggers Cup (423m) on Saturday at Sid Kallas Oval.
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This time around with Benji's Friend, Kirby was thrilled with the win.
"I was surprised she beat those dogs, it's the first time she has raced against the harder class dogs and she pulled it off," winning trainer Shannon Kirby said.
"She jumped well and got into a good spot to finish it off."
After jumping well from box three it became a two dog race with Benji's Friend trailing Pamela Braddon's Hurriacane Rino.
As the pair entered the final stages, Benji's Friend managed to pull away along the rail to score by three and a quarter lengths, Hurricane Rino and Paul Braddon's Dimitr filled the minor placings.
It was Kirby's second year in a row winning the Anzac Day feature race and although he didn't realise, he admitted it's an event he enjoys.
"I didn't even realise until Ace (Peter McDonald, Cowra Greyhound Club President) just told me so it seems like a good race for me," Kirby laughed.
"Yeah I will [be back next year], I love racing here," he said.
Kirby went on to explain that Benji's Friend has been a consistent performer for him.
After 15 starts the Diggers Cup winner's worst result is fourth and it now has three wins from it's last five starts.
Kirby said he'll look to find another feature race somewhere for his in-form chaser.
"She has been flying in the last few [races]," he said.
"I'll probably take her to Dubbo, she likes Dubbo. We'll keep racing on and hopefully find another feature race somewhere.
"She's been going really good," he said.
Earlier in the day Barbara Judd collected a winning double with Roccabella in race two, the Anzac Day Maiden, and in race five, the Dunkirk Flying Stakes, with Tassie Wayne. Also impressive on the day was Anthony Cooper's Fenyang, which blitzed the field in a time of 18.9 seconds in race seven the Bats Fruits Best 8 Stakes over 327 metres.
